---
slug: 31-cost-optimization-agentic
role: index
date: 2026-04-21
---

> **📅 Research snapshot as of 2026-04-21.** Provider pricing, free-tier availability, and model capabilities drift every quarter. The router reads `data/routing-table.json` and `data/model-registry.json` at runtime — treat those as source of truth. If this document disagrees with the registry, the registry wins.

# Category 31 — Cost Optimization Agentic

Provider-level caching, model routing cheap→expensive, batch APIs / async generation, thumbnail-first-validate-then-upscale, semantic deduplication.

## Angles

| File | Topic |
|---|---|
| [`31a-provider-level-caching-strategies.md`](./31a-provider-level-caching-strategies.md) | Provider-Level Caching Strategies |
| [`31b-model-routing-cheap-to-expensive.md`](./31b-model-routing-cheap-to-expensive.md) | Model Routing: Cheap-to-Expensive Cascade |
| [`31c-batch-apis-async-generation.md`](./31c-batch-apis-async-generation.md) | Batch APIs for Async Generation |
| [`31d-thumbnail-first-validate-then-upscale.md`](./31d-thumbnail-first-validate-then-upscale.md) | Thumbnail-First: Validate at Low Cost, Upscale Only on Pass |
| [`31e-semantic-deduplication-patterns.md`](./31e-semantic-deduplication-patterns.md) | Semantic Deduplication Patterns |

## Also in this folder

- [`SYNTHESIS.md`](./SYNTHESIS.md) — synthesized insights across angles

## Up one level

- [`../index.md`](../index.md) — master research index
- [`../SYNTHESIS.md`](../SYNTHESIS.md) — master synthesis
